


burning through the bloodline (cutting down the family tree)

by aletterinthenameofsanity



Series: this could be good (love is patient, love is kind) [16]
Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers Samurai
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Asexual Character, Character Development, Character Study, Childhood, F/F, F/M, Family, Feminist Themes, Forced Pregnancy, Happy Ending, Hatsu is born in 2006, Hugs, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Kissing, Lesbian Character, M/M, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Non-Linear Narrative, Only referenced but it's still there, Post-Canon, Recovery, Rejecting the old ways, Sequel, Team as Family, Women In Power, dealing with past abuse and other shit, we love some good banter and love and healing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-12 00:07:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16862560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aletterinthenameofsanity/pseuds/aletterinthenameofsanity
Summary: Sometimes, things aren’t perfect. Not everyone has parents who try their hardest. Not everyone can be a good parent, even if they want to. Some people aren't in a place where they can know how to love.-Hatsu Shiba is born not to loving Soulmates, not to parents who try their best to raise her in a way they weren’t, but to a scared but determined fifteen-year-old girl whose duty it is to bear an heir for the Shiba line.Her mother looks at her and doesn’t see the result of love, a gift of happiness; instead, she sees a contract fulfilled, the result of her body being used for the sake of honor.-When Hatsu is six years old, her mother returns to her, a woman holding her hand. “Hatsu,” her mother says, but she sounds like her mouth is having a hard time voicing her name. “I’m Lauren Shiba, and I’m your mother."Mother- what a strange word. It's supposed to connote comfort, to mean love, but when Hatsu looks at her mother she just sees a woman she doesn't know.(First in a series of character studies of daughters of Power Rangers, starting with the two Shiba daughters: Lauren and Hatsu.)





	burning through the bloodline (cutting down the family tree)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tsukino_Akume](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsukino_Akume/gifts).



> Title is from "Landscape" by Florence + the Machine and chapter titles are from "Anthem Part Two" by Blink 182.
> 
>  
> 
> In which I have a lot of emotions about Lauren Shiba and the Shiba family and women in Power Rangers and you will _suffer with me._
> 
> To Tsukino_Akume, who asked me for a sequel to my earlier Soulmate Samurai fic. Not sure if this is what you were asking for, but you're getting it.

_Let this train-wreck burn more slowly_

_Kids are victims in this story_

_Drown the youth with useless warnings_

_We really need to see this through_

_We never wanted to be abused_

_We'll never give up, it's no use_

_If we're fucked up, you're to blame_

**_-Anthem Part Two_ , Blink 182**

 

Sometimes, things aren’t perfect. Not everyone has parents who try their hardest. Not everyone can be a good parent, even if they want to. Some people aren't in a place where they can know how to love.

-

Hatsu Shiba is born not to loving Soulmates, not to parents who try their best to raise her in a way they weren’t, but to a scared but determined fifteen-year-old girl whose duty it is to bear an heir for the Shiba line.

Her mother looks at her and doesn’t see the result of love, a gift of happiness; instead, she sees a contract fulfilled, the result of her body being used for the sake of honor. Hatsu is not her daughter- she just another step in a long line of things she's had to do for the sake of duty.               

Hatsu grows up alone, spending her first six years with only Master Eiji to tutor and raise her. He's not cruel, at least she doesn't think, but he never hugs her, never shows any signs of caring about her as more than just the heir to the Shiba line.

-

When Hatsu is six years old, her mother returns to her, a woman holding her hand. “Hatsu,” her mother says, but she sounds like her mouth is having a hard time voicing her name. “I’m Lauren Shiba, and I’m your mother."

Mother- what a strange word. It's supposed to connote comfort, to mean love, but when Hatsu looks at her mother she just sees a woman she doesn't know.

"You're not going to live with Master Eiji anymore," Hatsu's mother says. "You're going to live in the Shiba House with your Uncles, okay?"

Hatsu nods- she's to obey her elders, Master Eiji says- and packs her bags. She doesn't know what to think of her mother, doesn't know how to see the woman before her as the parent who birthed her instead of Lady Shiba, the woman who helped defeat Master Xandred last year.

-

At age seven, when she's finally living with her Uncles instead of with Master Eiji, she gets her first Soulmarks. 

Her Soulmate is just an ordinary boy named Jamie Patterson. He's not the son of a Power Ranger, has no powers or magic or training. He likes monster trucks and math class and watching a show called  _Project Runway_ with his Ma.

And he's wonderful.

Hatsu has heard the horror stories from her Uncle Antonio and Aunt Mia about what happens when a Samurai tries to avoid their Soulmates. She knows the pain that running from a Soulbond can cause, the agony your Soulmate can go through if you try and reject them.

Hatsu doesn't want to do that. She's not going to be like her mother and her Uncle Jayden. She doesn't have to follow duty and honor, no matter what Master Eiji tried to tell her to do.

Hatsu picks up a pen and writes in the impeccable handwriting that Master Eiji drilled into her.  _Hello. My name is Hatsu._

 _Hello!_ Comes the excited response, Jamie's handwriting shaky like most kids'.  _I'm Jamie!_

 _I know,_ she says, a smile breaking across her face,  _You've been leaving doodles on my arm for a month now._

 _It's nice to meet you, Hatsu,_ Jamie says.

-

Hatsu is eight years old and her arms are covered in red and purple ink, both from her and her Soulmate. She wears short sleeves as much as possible, gets told bedtime stories by Uncle Jayden and Uncle Antonio, and loves watching  _Project Runway_ with her Aunt Mia and, surprisingly enough, her Uncle Mike.

She's going to meet Jamie one day, and the day she meets him she's not going to avoid their relationship or reject him. She's going to hug him and love him and be everything her Uncle Jayden and her mother were not.

"That sounds like something a true Samurai would do," her Uncle Kevin says when she mentions it to him when they're making cookies. Uncle Mike and Uncle Kevin are visiting for Friday Movie Night, as they do every other week, but Christmas is about to come up and Hatsu wants to make cookies because it's Uncle Antonio's favorite holiday and she wants to do something nice for him. Uncle Kevin is the victim of her efforts, but he's not exactly complaining.

She frowns. "What do you mean?" she asks, "I thought Samurai weren't supposed to let their Soulmates distract them from their missions."

Uncle Kevin looks over at Uncle Mike, who is in the living room with Uncle Antonio picking out a DVD for movie night, and the look on Uncle Kevin's face is strange. She doesn't know exactly what it means, but she kinda recognizes it from the way Uncle Antonio and Uncle Jayden look at each other. She thinks it means something relating to love, to being Soulmates, to caring about each other.

"The Samurai Code says a lot of things," Uncle Kevin says, "And not all of them are right." 

-

Later that night, while they're watching the movie, Hatsu looks over at Uncle Kevin and Uncle Mike, who are curled up with each other on the sofa. She watches as Uncle Kevin whispers something into Uncle Mike's ear and Uncle Mike lets out a quiet laugh before turning his head slightly and pressing a kiss to Uncle Kevin's cheek.

If this is what a good Soulmate relationship looks like, then she's pretty sure she wants it.

"Hey,  _chiquita_ ," Uncle Antonio whispers from the armchair above her, and Hatsu looks up from her spot on some blankets on the floor. "You want some popcorn?" He shakes a bowl of popcorn in front of her, and she grins.

" _Si, Tio,"_ she says, and reaches up for a handful of popcorn. Her Uncle grins at her and lowers the bowl slightly so that she has a better angle at it. "Thanks."

"No problem,  _chiquita_ ," Uncle Antonio says, that lazy grin of his fixed in place.

-

Hatsu's mother visits sometimes, and each time things get a little bit less awkward between them. Hatsu's mother tends to be a bit quieter than any of Hatsu's Uncles or Aunt, and not as open or enthusiastic, and it's hard to connect, but Hatsu can sometimes see that she  _is_ trying.

"I'm sorry for not being the mother you deserved," Hatsu's mother says one day when Hatsu's nine years old and Hatsu is reading one of the  _Percy Jackson_ books. Uncle Antonio had handed her the series when she'd asked for something to read, giving her a smile and telling her that he'd really liked them. When asked if he thought she was ready for the advanced reading level, he'd shaken his head, telling her that if she liked something, she should do it, and if she didn't like something, she didn't have to do it.

(Hatsu really likes the way Uncle Antonio smiles when he looks at her. His smile is warm and trusting, making you think he believes in you no matter what and like he won't be disappointed in you if you fail.)

Hatsu shrugs. "I accept your apology," she says, because saying  _it's okay_ would be a lie and she doesn't feel right lying to her family or to Lady Shiba herself.

Hatsu's mother smiles. "Thank you, Hatsu-chan."

The term of endearment sticks to Hatsu, healing something of the broken relationship between her and her mother. It's not much, but it  _is_ something that shows that Hatsu's mother is trying.

She holds up the book- she's on her second reading of it since Uncle Antonio gave it to her last month. "You want to hear about the book I'm reading?"

Her mother smiles and sits down next to her, tucking a loose piece of blond hair back behind her ear. The color is kind of strange, so much lighter than Hatsu's own dark hair, but they have the same gray eyes and the same red hairtie and the same nose- the same nose that Uncle Jayden has- and that's something. "I'd love to hear all about it."

-

For Hatsu's tenth birthday, her Uncles and her Aunt and her Mother are all in the kitchen hanging up streamers and baking a cake (well, her Uncle Kevin and her Uncle Antonio are baking, and her Uncle Mike is trying his best to distract her Aunt Mia from helping bake while her mother and Uncle Jayden are hanging up decorations) when Uncle Antonio's phone- his former Morpher, and boy does Hatsu want to know how Uncle Antonio did that, made a Morpher out of something that never should have melded with the Samurai powers- rings.

" _Si_ , Emily?" Antonio answers the phone, balancing the cell phone between his shoulder and his mouth while he continues to mix the batter. "Your Soulmates want to meet your niece?"

Hatsu's ears perk up at that- Aunt Emily's sister Serena has no kids, and neither do Mike and Kevin yet. She's Aunt Emily's only niece. That means Aunt Emily's Soulmates- who she's heard plenty about before, but never met- want to meet her.

"Tell her they're welcome here anytime," Uncle Jayden says to Uncle Antonio as he passes by with a balloon string hopelessly tangled around his hand. He gives Uncle Antonio a peck on the cheek as he goes, the balloon bouncing between their foreheads as he does so.

Uncle Antonio relays the message through the phone before his eyes go wide. "Would that mean this afternoon?" he asks Uncle Jayden and Hatsu's mother, who seems a bit shocked at the idea. "They're in town."

Hatsu looks to her mother and Uncle Jayden. "Can they  _please_ come?" she asks.

"She's got your puppy eyes, Mia," Uncle Mike says with a laugh, and Aunt Mia looks down at Hatsu with a smile.

"Put them to good work, sweetie," she says in that kind voice of hers, and Hatsu nods.

"Yes, ma'am," she says. 

"Sure, they can come," Uncle Jayden says, "If it's okay with your mother." He gives his sister a significant look, and Hatsu's mother nods.

"Of course they can come," she says, looking at Aunt Mia with a small smile. "It's your birthday, Hatsu-chan- whatever you want goes."

Hatsu lets out a small cheer as Uncle Antonio tells Aunt Emily and her Soulmates that they can come over this afternoon. She then grabs for the pen that hangs from her belt loops, but then pauses before she can wrap her fingers around it. She looks up at her mother. "Do you mind if I go tell Jamie?" she asks, directing this question at Lady Shiba, the woman of duty, the mother she never got to properly have, and she knows it's a challenge but she's not backing down.

(She's ten and at this age, her Uncle had rejected his Soulmate and her mother's Soulmate thought she was dead and her other two Uncles didn't even  _know_ they had Soulmates because one refused to look and the other had given up on writing. Hatsu's not going to do what they did. She's not going to  _be_ like they were.)

And her mother looks back at her, gray eyes clear, and when she speaks her voice shakes slightly but is firm. "Of course you can."

Hatsu grins and runs off to the next room, pulling her red pen off of its keychain. She has so much to write, to tell Jamie, and she's going to enjoy every second of it.

-

("She's growing up so fast," Lauren says as she watches her daughter leave the kitchen to write to her Soulmate, and Mia rests her head on Lauren's shoulder.

"And she's becoming the woman we all hoped she would be," Mia says.

"She's not going to fuck up like we did," Jayden says, and Antonio bops him on the ear.

"Language," Antonio scolds, but his tone is playful.

Kevin rolls his eyes in response. "You drop f-bombs more than anyone in this team does."

"Except me, Mr. Self-Righteous," Mike points out, wrapping an arm around Kevin's shoulder. "That'd be  _me_."

Kevin gives Mike a small, fond sigh. "It's always you being the troublemaker, even four years out."

"You know me, _cariño_ ," Mike says, kissing Kevin's cheek.

"Well," Jayden says, "We've got a room to decorate and a cake to make, so let's get on it."

"Yeah," Lauren agrees, "This is my daughter's tenth birthday- we can't mess it up."

"You guys  _do_ realize you're not our Red Rangers anymore and you can't boss us around, right?" Mike asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Well,  _I_ may not be anything," Jayden says, "But  _she_ -" and he gestures at Lauren with the streamers in his hand, "Is Lady Shiba, so you have to answer to that."

"Not to poke holes in your theory,  _querido,_ " Antonio says, "But that Lady Shiba is the one who specifically lowered the status of the Shiba family."

"Don't split hairs, Antonio," Kevin says, and Antonio grins at him.

"Didn't Jayden tell you to stop arguing with me?"

"That was four years ago, and we're full grown adults now. I'm pretty sure-" Kevin's words slam to a halt as he smells the oven. "Shit, the cake!" He rips out from under Mike's arm and runs to the oven, muttering curses as he does so, and Mike and Antonio burst into laughter.

Mia smiles. "I love this family."

Lauren leans her head slightly to rest on top of her Soulmate's. "Me too.")


End file.
